Cable actuated wrench



July 1952 J. P. SCHWARTZ CABLE ACTUATED WRENCH 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed May 1'7, 1948 joke oh Jch war'ig m Emma,

J. P. SCHWARTZ CABLE ACTUATED WRENCH July 22, 1952 2' SHEETS-SHEET 2 I Jose pk f Jchwari; mma

Filed May 17, 1948 Patented July 22, 1952 s 1, CABLE ACTUATED R NCH, J ose'ph RSchwartz, Ste Paul, Minn. fl-"App lication May 17, 1948,1Serial No. 27,439

My-,invention ,relates'jutoan improvement in a; cable actuated wrench wherein it is desired to provide-a device which lmay rotate a nut or the like to attach orwdetach the, same.

Many wrenches havebeen produced. which are capable of rotating a nut or similar element in either directionwith-out disengaging the wrench from the nut during operation. Such wrenches usually operate, tinllthe ,;manner of ratchet wrenches and rotate a; nut. or the like a distance equal to or lsoinewhaiill'ess than the distance of rotation f.the wrench. In somejinstances it is diflicult to rotate. alwr'ench' about the'axis of the nut to tighten or loosenithesame; Furthermore, where nuts must Joe/threaded upon longbolts or the. like, considerable timelan'd efiort is spent in accomplishing this result.

b \It is the objeot'of the. present invention to provide a wrench including an elongated handle element having a rotatable element at one end thereof. Means are provided for rotating the rotatable elerf1l1flt without rotating the handle, thus. greatly simplifying the attachment or do tachment of the nut or other threadedelement;

' A feature of the presentinvention lies in the provision of an elongated handle having a rotatable element'at'one end thereof and a longitudinally movable operating member at'the other end th'ereof By ipulli'ngilthe' operating member lon'gitudinally'offthe handle-the rotatable elementisrotated inone'direction. By moving'the 3 Claims. (01. s -5s) A further' feature 0f the present invention lies I! in the provision olf an'elongated handlehavin a a reverse movement of the-"rotatable member upon'a reverse movement of the operating mem- These and'othcr objects and;nove1 features of my invention will b'- more 'cl'earlyandiully set forth in the following specification and claimsp operating. element-inthe opposite direction longitudinallyeof the'ha-ndle the rotatable element remains stationary.

'lAiffeaturecfthe present invention lies in the provision of a rotatable element which may accommodate a nutor the like-directly or may accommodate 'a -socl;eteither directly or connected theretothrough a suitable extension member. Thus while the rotatable member itself is incapable of-fitting nutsof various sizes and shapes,

it may accommodate suitable socketsor' attach- I provided for tighteningthis cable about the rotatable memberwhen the cable is pulled in one direction, thereby causing rotationof the rotatable member by a-longitudina1 movement of the cable. 7 Y

In the drawings -forming a part of my specifi cation: Clint I l Figure l'is a 'perspective' of my Wrench showing the general construction thereof. 1 Figure '2 is aside elevational view partially in section showing the interior: structure of the wrench,'the 'sec'ti'ori being' indicated by the line zirfiofFigure 3. T a t Figure 3 is a top plan'vievfof the wrench with the covering elements removed to expose the "interior' construction, certain partsfiof the wrench being showninsection. .tr'i'i L Figure 4 is a view similar to'Figur'e '3'showing the operating parts in a .difierent'- relative position. J

Figure 5 is a viw similar-to Figures'3 and 4 showing the parts in still a different operative position. g T: Figure 6 isia sectional'view throughithe Wrench, the position of the sectionbeing indicated by the line 66 of Figure'2. i a

Figure 7'is another sectional view through the wrenchfthe position ofthesection being indicated by the line 1'. -:1 of. Figure 2.

'Thetool A. includesan'elongate'd' handle element'whichin the" form illustrated includes a pair'of channel members IE1 and H arranged in opposed relationship. Thebase' l2" of the channel H3 is parallel'tothe bas'e l3"o f*the channel. The side walls '14 ofthe channel Ware-in alignment with'the side walls lfi'of the channel II. The channels are held? in this relatio'n by elongated parallel "strips [6 and 'l 7. "These strips are secured to the side Walls [4 and IS'b'ycap screws I9 or other-suitable means andthestrip's' '16 and ll project beyond one end of the "channels 13 and I to form round-ended"projections 20 and 2.! respectively. "A U -shaped strip 22 encircles the projecting ends 20 and Hand the 'ends of the U-shaped strip are anchoredto: the bases-of the channels"! and H" by capscrews 23'or other suitablemeans;

- 'A rotatablespoolil l is supported by thproj t s a dzlof-thefibody-forming strips w OF E "i 4 51 in which the pin is located for a purpose which will now be described in detail.

When a longitudinal pull is exerted against the rounded end 31 of the operating member 34 the portionof the pin 59 engaged in the arm end 36 and the reinforcing member 56 attached thereto is drawn to the right as viewed in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. This movement tends to pivot the pin 59 into the position shown in Figure 4 of accommodation of a nut or bolt head or for the I accommodation of an adapter or fixture such as the adapter 33 indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

A U-shaped operating element 34 is slidably supported within the handle. The operating element 34 includes two generally parallel sides'35 and 36 and a rounded connecting end 31. The sides 35 and 36 are slidable along the inner surfacesof the channel bases l2 and I3 and are held 5 in place by the side edges of the body forming plates l6 and IT. A U-shaped yoke 39 is supported within the handle body to slide longitudinally thereof. The yoke 39 is generally U-shaped in section and includes upper and lower parallel sides '40 and 4| which are connected by a vertical connecting web 42. A vertical pivot 43 is supported by the plates 46 and 4| and a reel or support 44 is rotatably supported upon the pivot 43. The reel 44 is provided with spaced grooves 45 in its surface for the accommodation of operating cables as will be later described in detail.

the drawings and tends to move the terminal plate 54 relative to the terminal plate 52 so as to overlap these plates to a greater extent. This movement tends totighten the cable 53 about the,

spool 24 so'that movement of the terminal plates 52 and 54 to the right as viewed in Figure 4 will cause rotation of the spool 24 in a clockwise direction.

The pin 59 forms the'connecting element between the operating member 34 and the terminal plates 52- and'54. Movement of theoperating member 34'in'the direction of the arrow in Figure of the drawings tends'to tilt the pin 59. This -1 pin 59 acts as 'a'lever to draw the terminal plates A handle end closure 46 extends between the plates I6 and I1 and is anchored thereto. An elongated bolt or cap'screw 41. extends through an aperture in the end closure wall 46 and threads into an aligned aperture in the closed end 42 of the yoke 39. By rotating the cap screw 41, the yoke 39 may be adjusted longitudinally of the handle.

A central partition rib 49 connects the plates 16 and I1 intermediate the ends thereof. Suitable anchoring pins 56 hold the partition wall 49 in fixed relation to the handle members l6 and H. The partition wall 49 acts as a slide guide in the manner which will hereinafter be described.

A flexible cable or similar device 53 is looped inv .termediate its ends and extended around an anchoring bolt 5| attached to a terminal plate 52. The two ends of the cable 53 wind about the spool 24 above. and below the central flange thereon. Preferably the cable winds at least one full revo lution about the spool and may wind about the spool two or three times if desired. The ends of the cable then extend longitudinally along the handle in parallel relation and engage in the grooves 45 of the reel 44. The free ends of the cable then again extend longitudinally of the handle in parallel relationship and are anchored to the terminal plate 54 which is parallel to and adjacent the terminal plate 52. The anchoring point of thecable ends of the cable 53 is indicated by the numeral 55.

A reinforcing plate 56 is secured to the end of the arm 36 of the operating member 34. This reinforcing plate 56 is designed to increase the thickness of one end of this operating element. Aligned apertures 51' are provided in the arm end 36, the reinforcing plate 56 secured thereto, and theterminal plates 52 and 54. A pin 59 is supported in these aligned apertures and is held loosely in place by'the partition wall 49 and by the base l3 of the channel member I I. The pin 59 is of slightly smaller diameter than the apertures 52 and 54 into greater overlapping relation and then acts to move these terminal plates in unison with the operating member 34. As a result the cable 53 is first wrapped more tightly about the rotatable element34 and then this element is rotated by movement of the terminal plates.

When the operating element 34 has moved to the outer limit of its movement, this element then is pushed inwardly in a reverse direction. Movement of the operating element 34 in the direction indicated in Figure 5 of the drawings tends to tilt the pin 59 in the opposite inclined position, thereby allowing the terminal plates 52 and 54 to overlap a somewhat lesser amount. After the pin 59 tilts into the position shown in Figure 5, further movement of the operating element 34 tends to move the terminal plates 52 and 54 in unison to the left as viewed in this. figure.

The tilting of the pin 59 into the position shown in Figure5 tends: to relax the pull upon the operating 'cable 53, thereby loosening the cable somewhat about the rotatable element 24. This action allows the cable to slide over the surface'of the rotatable element so that the rotatable element may remain stationary. A brake element is provided to hold the rotatable member from rotation in'a reverse direction. This brake element includes a lever '60 which is pivotally supported at 6! on a mounting bracket 62, Figure 6, connected between the plates 16 I and 11. This brake lever 60 is provided with an inclined end 63 which engageable with the flange 26 of the rotatable element 24 when the rotatable member rotates in a counter-clockwise direction. A spring 64 connected to the partition wall 49 holds the brake lever 60 in engagement with the flange 26.

Thus it will be seen that by engaging the rotatable element 24 with a nut or other element to be rotated it is only necessary to exert a pull on the operating element 34 to rotate the rotatable element in a clockwise direction as viewed in the figures. Rotation of the rotatable element in the opposite direction is prevented during a return reciprocable movement of the operating element 34. Thus the nut or other element engaged may be rotate-d at a relatively high Obviously the wrench may be operated in a reverse direction by merely inverting the same- If the wrench is inverted the upper end of the rotating element will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction and will be held stationary during return movement of the operating handle.

As previously stated the aperture 32 within the spool 24 may accommodate a suitable adapter extension device or socketed apparatus to fit nuts and bolts of varying sizes. Similarly a screw driver head or other such device may be mounted in the aperture 32 for rotation by the wrench.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my nut and cap screw starter, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A wrench including an elongated housing, a rotatable wrench element rotatably supported at one end of said housing, a pivot supported near the opposite end of said housing, a flexible member looped about said wrench element and said pivot, the ends of said flexible member terminating in spaced relation, an operating element slidably supported by said housing, relatively slidable elements arranged in side by side relation within said housing, each connected at one end to a corresponding end of said flexible member, and a pin extending through said relatively slidable members and supported for movement with said operating element, said relatively slidablemembers and said operating element having aligned apertures therethrough loosely accommodating said pin, movement of said operating element in one direction tilting said pin in one direction to loosen the flexible member about said wrench element and movement of said operating element in the opposite direction tilting said pin in the opposite direction to tighten said flexible member about said wrench element.

2. A wrench including an elongated housing,

a rotatable wrench element rotatably supported at one end of said housing, a pivot supported near the opposite end of said housing, a flexible member looped about said wrench element and said pivot, the ends of said flexible member terminating in an offset spaced relation, means slidably supported by said housing, said means connecting with the ends of said flexible member and including means for permitting limited longitudinal movement of the ends of said flexible I each of said members being connected to an end of said flexible member, a transverse member pivotally connecting with said pair of members,

to limit relative sliding between said pair of members, and operating means connecting with one of said pair of members.

JOSEPH P. SCHWARTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 91,660 Ostrander June 22, 1869 1,306,553 Morrison 1 June 10, 1919 1,903,514 Merriman et a1 Apr. 11, 1933 2,288,217 Trautman June 30, 1942 2,290,197 Merriman et al July 21, 1942 2,292,391 Merriman et al Aug. 11, 1942 2,365,839 Pike Dec. 26, 1944 2,530,553 Strobell Nov. 21, 1950 

